1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an airway management device and system and specifically to a laryngoscope system capable of allowing a health care provider to establish an airway.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over 20 million intubation procedures are performed each year in the United States either as a routine part of surgery or in emergency situations resulting from trauma, cardiopulmonary arrest or other disease processes. In an intubation procedure, it is necessary to insert an endotracheal tube (ET tube) in order to maintain a patient's respiratory function. The tube is inserted into a patient's trachea via either the mouth or nasal tract so that the airway remains open and oxygen reaches the patient's lungs.
Practitioners use an instrument known as a laryngoscope to help in the placement of the ET tube. This instrument typically comprises a handle, a blade, and a light. The practitioner uses the device to move the tongue and epiglottis to one side so that the airway may be properly identified. Once the airway is properly identified, the practitioner inserts the tube with one hand while holding the laryngoscope with the other. In a small percentage of patients, the airway cannot be identified with the laryngoscope alone. With these patients, practitioners sometimes use a device known as a “bougie”. This bougie is a small diameter flexible cylinder of metal, plastic or other material that may serve as a guide for placement of a larger ET tube.
The laryngoscope predominantly used today to accomplish this task was developed in the 1940's. When performed by an experienced practitioner, the procedure is usually quick and uneventful. However, even in the hands of well skilled individuals, there is still an unacceptable number of occurrences in which placement of the endotracheal tube is difficult or impossible resulting in an inability to provide the patient with oxygen leading to death or injury. Difficulty in placing the endotracheal tube may be due to trauma, abnormal anatomy, disease processes or for unknown and unpredictable reasons.
Over the years, there have been many attempts to improve upon the design of the original laryngoscope, but those attempts have been largely unsuccessful as evidenced by the continued use today of virtually the same device developed in the 1940's. More recently due to advances in miniaturization of technology, devices have been developed known as video laryngoscopes that greatly improve the ability to adequately locate the vocal cords and appropriately place the endotracheal tube. These devices are generally constructed with a small camera placed at the distal end of the laryngoscope and the image obtained by that camera is viewed on a remote monitor. However, these devices are expensive and often inconvenient to use. Moreover, prior art devices still fail to offer a solution to the difficult intubations in which a bougie is necessary.
What is needed is an inexpensive, sanitary, easy to use laryngoscope system that may be used in all situations, including the most difficult intubations in the most challenging environments.